Last week, I had the blessing to attend a workshop at Monserrat Retreat Center just outside Dallas. The presenters, Fr. Joseph Tetlow, SJ, and Carol Atwell Ackels, happen to be the authors of a twelve week Ignatian Retreat I’m using right now with two groups. Having been looking for a long time for a resource for those not able to commit to a multi month 19th Annotation format, Finding Christ In The World, has worked great for the needs of those I’m presently leading.
At the beginning of the year, and by chance, a friend of mine happened to learn of the workshop, Roots Seeking Water, and mentioned it to me. I jumped at the chance to attend, and was grateful another brother in the Lord was able to join me.
Now, the friend who told me about the workshop has just begun delving into Ignatian Spirituality. As it happened, a longtime friend of mine sat next to him on a plane last summer, and they got to talking. He was a seeker and somehow the topic of Ignatian Spirituality came up, and somehow, my longtime friend mentioned that he had a friend (me) that maybe our new friend should talk to. I could go on and on about the fact that God was distinctly at work, and one thing led to another and then, there I was at the retreat center on Lake Dallas, listening to Fr. Tetlow, one of the world’s leading experts on the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The teaching of both Fr. Tetlow and his co-presenter Carol was unbelievably clear and so helpful to me. When I left on Sunday, I felt like my own spiritual roots were deeper and stronger than they had ever been. Such a gift!
I love the fact that our God is a God of surprises. He makes unexpected connections, with people He as always wanted us to meet, so that we can become the people He has always wanted us to be, so that we can in turn share the Good News with others. All these connections lead to conversion, transformation, and new life in Christ. Be on the lookout, because God just might have a surprise for you today, or maybe it will be tomorrow, or the next day…. But surely it will come.
